Car insurance premiums are personalized to each individual driver. To calculate rates, insurance companies use a variety of rating factors, including your location, credit score, driving record, age, and claim history. But you might be surprised to learn that your gender can also affect the cost of your car insurance policy.
In this article, we’ll answer questions like, “Is car insurance higher for males or females?” and explain why one gender typically pays higher rates than the other. We’ll also look at the average car insurance premiums for male and female drivers.
Do men or women pay more for car insurance?
In general, men pay more for car insurance than women. Statistically speaking, male drivers are riskier to insure than female drivers. Data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) shows that male drivers are more likely to drive under the influence and engage in risky driving behaviors, like speeding and driving without a seat belt. As a result, men sometimes pay higher car insurance premiums than women.
When looking at male vs. female car insurance rates, however, it’s important to understand that the rule “men pay more for car insurance” is not always true. Car insurance companies use dozens of rating factors to determine premiums, and gender has a relatively small impact on rates.
For example, male drivers in a particular state or ZIP code might pay lower car insurance rates than females. Our car insurance rate data shows that females in Utah pay on average 5% more for auto insurance than males. Similarly, a male driver with an excellent credit score or clean driving record might pay less than a female with poor credit or multiple traffic violations.
In addition, car insurance companies are not allowed to use gender as a rating factor in several states. If you live in California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Michigan, North Carolina, or Pennsylvania, the use of gender as a rating factor is limited or banned.
